Bliss and Oblivion
by LEDStories
Summary: Spoilers for Fates: Birthright! After Xander is killed how does he deal with the afterlife. More importantly how can he face Elise. Takes place after chapter 26. Rated T for mentions of death/murder. I do not own anything. All the characters/major plot points belong to their respective companies.


"Now, it's time… to say good-bye… Please… don't cry…" Xander reached for Corrin. He wanted to wipe away her tears and tell her everything was going to be okay but he knew it was a lie. Garon had changed and there would be no way he'd show mercy on Corrin. But Xander saw Corrin has grown strong, she was no longer needs his or anyone's protection. A final warmth rushed through Xander's body as he closed his eyes for the last time. The war between Hoshido and Nohr had taken another victim.

* * *

"Elise!" Xander shot up in his bed. Flora was standing at his bedside. Xander looked around his room for Elise. He didn't know why but he just felt like something was wrong.

"Prince Xander, you're awake," Flora smiled.

"Where… where's Elise? Is she ok?" Panic grew in Xander's chest.

"Don't worry Elise is fine," Flora reassured him. She's in the garden, she's been waiting for you."

"Waiting for me?" Xander felt disoriented but the tension lessened in his chest. "How long was I out?"

"Don't worry about it," Flora avoided his question. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," Xander replied. Xander tried to stand but fell back into his bed.

"Prince Xander, are you alright?" Flora asked. She had a look of great concern.

"Yeah," Xander nodded. "Just got a little dizzy." Flora helped Xander to his feet. Xander walked down the castle's dreary corridors. They seemed to familiar yet so foreign. Xander wondered why he hadn't seen anyone besides Flora. Even Laslow and Peri were nowhere to be found. Granted they could take care of themselves but they never ever seemed to want to leave Xander's side. Xander made his way to the garden. To him it seemed like the brightest place in all of Nohr. Xander smiled as he remembered when he and his siblings planting the flowers as children. Xander approached the garden to see Elise laying on the grass with a picnic basket. Of course she was, she always talked about wanting to have a picnic in the garden but he was always too busy. "What are you going out here?"

"Xander?" Elise jolted up in surprised. "Xander!" Elise ran and threw her arms around her older brother's torso.

Elise's sudden hug threw Xander off balance and they both landed in a heap on the ground. Xander's circlet fell onto the grass. "Woah there," he laughed. "It's nice to see you too. I see you've got something special planned."

"Oh right!" Elise jumped off of Xander and held up the picnic basket. "Ta-da! Now we can have that picnic you always promised you'd have with me."

"Right," Xander chuckled. "I did promise you a picnic. Why don't we get Camilla and Leo to join us. Then it can be a family picnic."

"No!" Elise shouted quite forcefully. "I mean, I planned this for just the two of us."

"Ok," Xander sighed, "Leo and Camilla can join us some other day."

"Right," Elise nodded.

Together they sat in the garden and watched as the dark clouds rolled over Nohr. Xander couldn't help but notice Elise staring wistfully at him. It was as if he was supposed to know something he didn't. "Is something wrong?" Xander asked. He knew something had to be off and he needed to get the the bottom of it. "Is my circlet crooked?" Xander reached for it but remembered it had fallen off when Elise hug-tackled him.

"You really don't remember?" Elise asked.

"No," Xander said still quite confused. "Am I supposed to remember something?" Xander paused, "Wait!"

"Yes?" Elise had hope in her eyes. It was going to be somber but better that he knew rather than have to find out.

"Did I forget your birthday?" Xander asked a little skeptically. Usually Elise would be parading around as the birthday girl and there would be a big party. Not to mention Xander usually never forgot his siblings' birthdays.

"No!" Elise practically shouted. "You really don't remember do you?" Tears welled in her eyes. She knew it would be hard for him to realize what had happen and harder for him to remember what he did but it was better than ignorantly prancing around the castle like everything was okay.

"Come here," Xander cradled Elise's head in his lap. "It's ok. Whatever you want me to remember, I'll remember in time." He wiped the tears from Elise's face, "Dry those tears, little princess…" Xander froze. It… it all came back to him. The war, Garon, his fight with Corrin, his death, and killing Elise. "Gods Elise, what did I do?" Tears pricked the back of his eyes, "Elise…"

"So you remembered," Elise said.

"I hurt the family, I hurt Corrin, I hurt you. Gods Elise I really hurt you." Tears started to stream down Xander's face.

"You did… and I forgive you," Elise smiled up at her big brother.

Xander didn't hear what Elise said. "Gods even after I… even after I did what I did I fought Corrin," the guilt of his sins weighed heavily on his soul. "I deserved to die."

"It's ok Xander. I forgive you. I know you didn't mean to," Elise cried out but Xander still wasn't listening.

"I shouldn't be here with you," Xander wasn't listening to Elise. "I should be burning in hell for what I did to the family, Corrin, and you."

"Xander!" Elise snapped and it seemed to get his attention.

"Oh Elise. I am so so sorry," Xander expected for Elise to be mad.

"It's ok brother," Elise said. "I know you didn't mean to hurt me and I understand why you did what you had to. Father was exerting a lot of pressure on you and you had to do for Nohr."

"Elise," Xander smiled as Elise wiped away the tears. "When did I ever deserve a sister as wonderful as you."

"Brother," Elise playfully scolded. "The Xander I knew never would've ever been so sappy."

Xander laughed. "So I guess it's just the two of us for a while huh?"

"Yeah," Elise frowned. "But… I think that's a good thing. And besides I'd hope that Leo and Camilla come later rather than sooner."

"Yeah," Xander laid back in the grass and looked up at the cloudy Nohrian sky. He wondered if it looked like this in the real world. He thought about Leo and Camilla and Laslow and Peri and how he never got to say goodbye. He thought of Corrin and hoped she would succeed in taking down Garon. He thought about how Camilla or Leo would be good for the crown. Although he hoped that if Leo happened to become king, that someone would check his clothes were on right. Xander was snapped back to reality when Elise laid down next to him. He turned to her and smiled. He'd be here for a very long time but it was alright.


End file.
